Given the chance, Bill Adams would have told Mr. Bush “that my son’s life was squandered”

[dajoki]

Bush and Relatives of Fallen Lean on Each Other
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: November 10, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/10/us/10families.html?ex=1352350800&en=be0cc2d8a8be99f0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

<<snip>>

The Storeys, of Palmer, Mass., joined a growing list of bereaved families granted a private audience with the commander in chief. As Mr. Bush forges ahead with the war in Iraq, these “families of the fallen,” as the White House calls them, are one constituency he can still count on, a powerful reminder to an unpopular president that even in the face of heartbreaking loss, some still believe he is doing the right thing.

Since the war in Afghanistan began six years ago, Mr. Bush has met quietly with more than 450 such families, and is likely to meet more on Sunday, Veterans Day, in Waco, Tex., near his Crawford ranch. Mr. Bush often says he hears their voices — “don’t let my son die in vain,” he quotes them as saying — when making decisions about the war. The White House says families are not asked their political views. Yet war critics wonder just whose voices the president is hearing.

Like Melissa Storey, Bill Adams, who has been leading war protests in Lancaster, Pa., wrote Mr. Bush a letter — not to praise the president, but to question the military’s account of the death of his son, Brent. When Mr. Bush held a town-hall-style meeting in Lancaster last month, Mr. Adams asked a friend with a ticket to deliver his missive to the president. It worked, and a top aide to Mr. Bush later called Mr. Adams.

But when the president met families of the fallen that day in Lancaster, it did not escape Mr. Adams’s notice that he was not among them.

“I can’t help but be left with the suspicion that possibly his advance team screened those families for people who would be sympathetic,” Mr. Adams said. Given the chance, he said, he would have told Mr. Bush “that my son’s life was squandered.”

<<snip>>

The senior official said Mr. Bush often remarked that he gained “strength and comfort” from the encounters. But war critics say the sessions amount to little more than echo chambers to reinforce Mr. Bush’s views. Charley Richardson, a founder of Military Families Speak Out, which opposes the war, said about 100 families who had lost loved ones were members of his group, but just one, Ms. Johnson, had met Mr. Bush.

[Vickers]

1. "has met quietly with more than 450 such families"

Wow, there must be some SERIOUS screening going on...that's only around 10% of the eligible families.

[dajoki]

2. My thoughts, exactly n/t

[Vickers]

3. It's a shame more people aren't seeing this...

...as this really illustrates so many things that are so completely fucked up about Idiot George:

- his totally fake approach to everything

- his loathing of real veterans (no, I do not consider him a veteran, more of a deserter)

- his inappropriateness and callousness about dead and injured vets

- his cherry-picked audiences at EVERY event

- the way he uses emotional issues to make him look like he gives a shit

etc. etc.

My last kick and only Rec, my friend, but I know exactly what you are saying.

[dajoki]

4. Thank You Vickers...

Its nice to see someone express the same thoughts as your own. Much appreciated!!:hi: